Wreck It Ralph Review

If you've ever played Nintendo, if you've ever put a coin in an arcade machine this movie is for you.  Disney did a superb job bring life to video games and video game characters in this film about a bad guy who just wants to be good.

This was the most creative movie I've seen since Toy Story.  The idea of video game characters interacting in an arcade is extremely unique.  They game us a look deeper into arcades, whether the open sign is lit or not.  Disney took all of the things gamers love from games back from Pac Man to Halo and used them to perfection in Wreck it Ralph.   

One thing that helped make this one of the most creative films I've ever seen was the visuals and animation.  It was perfect.  The worlds were so believable, especially for gamers.  Even the way the characters moved brought me back to Super NES.  If characters were from older games, they seemed to jump from position to position, just like they looked when they were rocking 8 bits.  To see them move that way but still be in high definition 3D was amazing.

The casting for Wreck it Ralph was also flawless.  John C. Riley was perfect for soft hearted "bad guy."  Jane Lynch continued to hold her bad girl persona.  She was a squad leader straight out of a "Halo" type game and it fit perfect.  Jack McBrayer, who always seems to play a naive, shy yet good willed character was the voice of  Felix, the hero of the game Ralph comes from, Fix it Felix,.  Finally, Sarah Silverman plays the cute little racing girl from Sugar Rush, which is basically Candy Land meets Mario Kart. I normally hate Sarah Silverman.  I think her jokes are crude and childless and just find her overall being annoying.  However, she was perfect for the role of Vanellope.  Her jokes were still childish but her character was a child, so it worked.

The actually plot line of a bad guy wanting to be good wasn't necessarily  the most original concept ever but they way Disney and producer John Lasster (director of Toy Story 1, 2, 3 and Cars) presented it was great.  He continues to create worlds we all day dream about and brings them to life better than our imaginations.

ARGO

I was very excited to check this film out.  Everything I read, saw, and heard made me want to see Argo.  It's about the US hostage situation in Iran in the late 1970's and early 1980's and is based on true events. 

Argo was directed by and stars Ben Affleck, who I personally think is an awful actor but tremendous writer and director.  Affleck wrote Good Will Hunting which is phenomenal He also wrote and directed both The Town and Gone Baby Gone which are both very good films and his directing did not disappoint at all in Argo.

A lot of great research went into the film.  Affleck and the writers needed to make sure they told this true story accurately.  They talked to many former CIA members, historians, and even some of the hostages who were in Iran.  Not only was the script and plot accurate, but Affleck did a great job capturing the moment of the late 70's and early 80's. The casting, costumes, and cinematography made me feel like I was there.  The small details, things as simple as the men’s mustaches and people smoking really put it over the top. He also did a great job mixing in some actual news clips and audio from President Carter.

The acting was also great, except for Affleck.  All of the hostages, the Iranians, and the US government officials were beyond believable.  Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman all delivered a great performance.  However, the story mainly revolves around Ben Affleck's character.  Like many of his other films I felt he was dry, emotionless, and at times forcing it.  Maybe that's how his character is supposed to be but since that's how I feel about all of Ben Affleck's performances, it's one of the few negatives from the film.

Argo does start a little slow but I think it's mostly to set the scene for people who aren’t familiar with the Iranian hostage crisis. After it fills you in on the Iranian US history it really picks ups up speed, especially for the last 20 minutes or so.

I don't think it was Affleck's intention but one thing that really hit me from Argo was the risk American's take working at our consulates over seas.  Maybe it's because of the recent attacks in Libya but these men and women do not receive enough credit or praise for putting their life’s at risk in hostile locations for a thankless job.

I would highly recommend seeing Argo.  I would also highly recommending thanking those who serve over seas, whether they are working at consulates, embassies, military bases or on the front line.

Evolution: Not A Pretty Sight

Humans have changed a lot.  We used to be hairier.  We are taller.  We are fatter, we have bigger parts, the list goes on.  We don't live in caves so we don't need to be hairy.  We eat better so we're taller.  Then we stopped eating better and now were fat.  Change happens slowly but it does happen.  Experts predict some changes over the next 1,000 years of our evolution, and it's not pretty.

They think we'll be taller.  Since the 1960's the average height has grown an inch so we can expect the average height to be in the 6-7 foot range.  We'll also have shorter intestines.  This way we'll absorb less sugar and fat, a natural way of avoiding obesity.  So far it sounds ok.  A bunch of non-diabetic basketball players.

Humans are also going to evolve because of technology.  Our brains will be smaller because we use computers to do pretty much everything.  Our fingers will also have more nerve endings making it easier to use our smart phones and other devises.  However, a paper cut might feel like losing a finger.

They are expecting a few changes over the next 1,000 years that will dramatically change how we look.  Our limbs will be much longer.  People will all have the same nose and similar, darker tone skin.  Experts expect our eyes to grow because of how much we stare at computer or TV screens all day.  They'll also grow because human’s communication will be more non-verbal.  Worst of all they expect us to have a turkey neck.  It'll basically be a triple chin because of how inactive we've become.

This is a picture of what we could look like.  All I can say is I'm glad I'm not going to be around to have to see that in the mirror every morning.

WARNINGS!

Everything these days needs a warning on it.  If you don't have a warning, you're at risk of getting sued.  What should be common sense needs to be spelled out.  People should know that coffee is hot and hot things can burn!!!  But no, we need a label and if it's not labeled and some klutz burns themselves, big money for that guy!  Here's a list of ridiculous warnings which should be common sense but are labeled anyway. 

 10: Thermometers
"Once used rectally, the thermometer should not be used orally."
9: Pepper Spray
"May irritate eyes."
8: Dishwashers
"Do not allow children to play in the dishwasher."
7: Irons
"Never iron clothes while they are being worn."
6: Fireplaces
"Caution - Risk of Fire."
5: Food Processors
"Never remove food or other items from the blades while the product is operating."
4: Sunshields
"Do not drive with sunshield in place."
3: Scooters
"This product moves when used."
2: Power Tools
"This product not intended for use as a dental drill." "Do not hold the wrong end of the chainsaw" and "Do not attempt to stop chain with hands."
1: Baby Strollers
"Remove child before folding."


My favorite warning label might actually be necessary.  It's for risk of child suffocation.  I just think the picture is funny looking.  It's for plastic tubs and 5 gallon pails.  I don't know if this makes me bad person but come on, that's a funny image.

Blink 182 and One Direction

In 2000 Blink 182 had their song "All The Small Things."  Around that time the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC were also very popular.  Blink took advantage of this in their video.  They did a great job of making fun of those boy bands and some pop princesses.  The plane was from Backstreet boys I Want It That Way.  That's the most noticeable parody.  There's also *NSYNC, Christina Aguilera, J-Lo, Britney, and Ricky Martin references made.  And somehow Blink knew to make fun of a boy band who's members were 8 or 9 at the time.  One Direction.  Twelve years after "All The Small Things" One Direction had their hit "What Makes You Beautiful."  Their music video just so happens to be on the same beach that Blink was on in 2000, making fun of boy bands.  It's probably just a coincidence but I think it also reinforces that Blink 182 knows how to have a good time at other's expense.

Race The Lake

I prepared all summer for the Race the Lakes.  It was one of my goals in life to ride my bike around Lake Winnebago and on Sunday I did it!  I wasn’t as fast as I would have hoped but I’m still very happy, excited and proud that I finished the 90 mile bike race.

Before the race I was very nervous.  I’ve never ridden that far or with that many people.  There were great fans sprinkled around the course cheering and ringing cowbells.  My parents even went from stop to stop cheering me on. 

Riding right in the pack for the first 20 miles or so was a blast…and really easy.  I barely had to peddle and we were flying.  I just had to make sure I didn’t run anyone over.  All the other riders throughout the race were super considerate.  Once we got to Oshkosh I ran into my first issue.  I hit a man hole and my water bottle fell out.  I should’ve just left it but I stopped to get it.  That’s when I lost the group which was upsetting.  I tried really hard to catch back up but only caught the tail end so instead of riding with 150 people I was with 12.

I stuck with that group until we got to Hill Cliff State Park, which is the half way point of the race. That’s where I pulled ahead with a different group of riders.  After training to go up the ledge and going up Hill Cliff for the Tour De Fest I knew what to expect.  A different group caught up to me and I tagged along with them after the climb.  I was feeling really good, strong and fast until it was my turn to be the leader of the group.  I’m not strong enough to do that.  I took a short pull and fell back in line but my legs were starting to die and I lost the group.

That was about the point of the race where we crossed Hwy 151 and headed east.  Up until that point I’ve ridden pretty much all of the roads.  I was tired but was having a great time, riding with all of the groups.  However, I was not really for the final 20 miles.  Farmland and hills after farmland and hills is what I encountered and I was all by myself.  I tried a few times to keep up with some groups passing me but couldn’t do it.  Then I had to stop again because I had to take care of a bloody nose.  I really didn’t have too much left in my legs for the home stretch but was happy because I knew I was going to make it.

Once I got back into town my parents and girlfriend were there to cheer me to the finish line with 1 mile to go.  When I got into Lakeside Park I could see and hear people cheering and the announcer calling off finishers’ names.  I was so happy and proud to have finished in 4:35:20, even though I could barely walk back to my car.

I need to thank all of the volunteers, organizers, and supports along the way.  It was a great event.  I also need to thank the guys at Attitude Sports.  What they taught me throughout my Summer Ride with Attitude Sports really helped for the race.  I really did have a great time Racing the Lake (especially the first 70 miles.)

Forget the 90's?

I'm a 90's kid and I get very nostalgic over the last decade of the millennium.  I miss good old Nickelodeon, AOL IM, and Super NES or N64.  However, there are a few things from the 90's that we should be glad we rid of. 

A few have to do with fashion.  First and foremost is the dreaded bowl cut.  I'd say 85% of my friends male and female at one point had this awful hair cut.  I'm one of the lucky ones.  I promise you I never had one. I had the shaved head with steps in the side, not sure how much better that is. The other bad hair day from the 90's is whatever Justin Timberlake was doing.  You know the hairdo that looked like Raman noodles.  The other thing I didn't like was the ridiculously baggy pants that we all wore. 

A lot of technology came along in the 90's.  They all brought some good but with the good comes the bad.  CD's. You don't need to rewind the darn tape or worry about your little brother pulling out all of the tape from the holder.  The bad with CD's, the skipping disc sound is still like fingernails on a chalkboard to me and I hated it when you would burn a CD but the CD player couldn 't read the disc.  I just wanted to hear my Weird Al mix, is that too much to ask?  The internet also came along in the 90's.  Information was at our fingertips, after that horrid sound to log onto the web.  Darn you AOL.  Finally, Pokémon.  I never got into Pokémon.  I never collected or played the card game, never watched the TV show, and never played the Gameboy game.  My friends were all about the pocket monsters.  All they talked about from 4th grade to even 8th grade was those darn Pokémon.  I felt so geeky, hanging out with a bunch of bowl cut wearing, Pokémon playing guys.  Now to be fair I did enjoy Pokémon Snap.  What's better than throwing apples and pissing off Meowth?

Still, with all of that, I miss the good old days of Rugrats, Doug, SkiFree, and using other people's IM names pretending to be them while listening to Limp Bizkit.

Summer Ride With Attitude Sports

My Summer Ride with Attitude Sports has come to a conclusion.  The guys at Attitude Sports have been great, hooking me up with a Specialized Secteur Sport and some great tips and hints.  They've helped me ride all summer and you've won as well by guessing the miles I've ridden.  This month Attitude Sports is giving away a seat bag tool kit to Kevin Bauer.  Kevin guessed 204.9 miles which is 4.5 off the 208.4 miles I peddled.  It was a long month on the bike but a lot of fun.  I'm sure I'll be visiting Attitude Sports a few more times this summer.  Their staff is full of knowledge, weather it's getting you on the right bike, getting you prepared for a long ride, or getting you the right gear.

More Photo Bombing

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  I love photo bombing.  I don't care if it’s a birthday party, Christmas, a wedding, or just out with friends, I enjoy it.  I don't even mind if I'm photo bombed.  I enjoy giving kudos to a good bomber.  I came across a list of some of the greatest photos that were bombed, not by people but our fuzzy, fishy friends.  I still think the photo of my mom being photo bombed by a horse at the Kentucky Derby could make this list.  I also think that the 3rd ranked photo is the best photo bomb ever, if not the funniest photo ever.  Here's the list.  Enjoy and if you have any photo bombing photos, share them on our facebook page.  Here's a few of mine.

Ride With Winkler

My Summer Ride with Attitude Sports is coming to a close.  Today and yesterday I got my last two rides in.  Yesterday, I went for a short almost 13 mile ride.  I was going to go up the ledge but thought the rains were going to come and didn't want to get stuck in that situation.

This morning I found a new person to ride with, a Winkler.  No not Bart, but Bart's dad Greg.  He's raced the lake a few times and I really needed to find someone to ride with.  It was a very good ride.  He took me up the west side of the lake on Hwy 45, which I'd never done before.  The first half was very fast.  It's very flat and we had the wind to our back.  The way back was a little different.  On the report from my Garmin Edge you can really tell how much a head wind slows you down, even with a person to draft with.  The 25+ mile ride was my second fastest of the year and was a lot easier because of Greg Winkler so thanks to him.

With my Summer Ride coming to an end I also need to thank all of the guys from Attitude Sports.  They gave me some of the best equipment and the best advice I needed to have a great summer of riding.  They’ve also let you ride away with some great prizes.  There is still time to guess my miles for July on the contest page at k107.com.  If you have the closest guess for July you'll walk away with a bike seat tool kit which is a life saver if you ever get a flat out on a long ride. 

Awkward Family Vacation Photos

It's time to hop in the family cruiser, deal with that smell from the back seat and take a family vacation.  When I was growing up, I was lucky enough to go on a number of family vacations.  We'd pile in the van and hit the road.  I'm sure we have some goofy looking mug shots too.  Above on the right is a photo from my trip to Route 66 Speedway in Illinois.  My brother, Dad, and myself are crying and struggling to breath because of the exhaust in the pits (my dad actually enjoyed it though, weird).  Another one that stands out is currently hanging in a bathroom in my parent’s house.  My mom has her nice big 90's hair, my dad has his awesome mustache, my brother and I are wearing almost matching polos, and my sister is grabbing on to my dad’s leg for dear life.  We were in front of the flooded Mississippi River in St. Louis and none of us were smiling.  Now days we have digital cameras and can see if we look stupid or not.  Back then, say cheese and smile 'cause we only got one shot at this.  Here's the link to the rest of the Awkward Family Vacation Photos. 

Tour De Paper Fest

On Saturday I got up early to do the longest ride of my life.  I've done the Tour De Fest once before but only the 40 mile ride.  I also did that ride with a partner.  This time I did the 70 mile route and didn't have a partner.  I could've used one because that was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. 

I did my best to prepare for it.  I went for a very short 10-15 mile ride Friday morning which the guys at Attitude Sports suggested. I drank a lot of water the night before and the morning of and had a decent sized breakfast.  I had a GU Energy before the race and throughout the ride had my Hammer Heed too.

The beginning part of the ride went very well.  I caught up to a group of guys that were out for a ride and tagged along with them before we got to High Cliff State Park.  I knew there was a monster hill so I was worried about that part before the ride started.  However, those trips up the ledge must have paid off because it wasn't too bad.  I actually passed a number of people and my legs felt fine during and after the climb.

The next part of the ride was long and lonely.  I lost the guys that I was with (they went a different route).  Saturday morning was very windy but cool until around noon.  The wind was hard to fight, especially by myself but I managed to keep a descent pace. Paper Fest (the group that put on the ride) had rest stops along the way about 14 miles apart.  Those were nice.  I’d grab some cool water, some fruit or bagels, and most importantly, STRETCHED!

I was feeling good around the 40 mile mark.  There, I found another group that let me tag along with them.  It really helped.  My speeds were much faster with them.  But, after a while it became harder and harder to keep up.  It was around the 50 mile mark when I lost them.  I remember looking down at my Garmin Edge, seeing 50 and thinking, “I can't do this anymore."  I wasn't cramping, I was just dead.  I took it very, very easy for the next couple of miles.  At that point in time I wasn't worried about being fast or technique, I just wanted to finish the last 20 miles.  That was easier said than done because, not only was I dead, but there was a nasty head wind.

Most of the ride I had very little idea of where I was but when I got back to the trail I used to ride all the time and know like the back of my hand, a couple of things came to mind.  One was I'm almost done I'm going to do this.  The other thing was wow, I am going so slowly and my legs won't let me go any faster.  I did make it back safe in about 4 hours and 15 minutes of ride time.  I was exhausted.  Still today I'm having trouble walking around.  The Race the Lake is in less than a month and I have some work to do but I'm very proud of myself for getting the 70 miles done.

I'm Not Afriad Anymore...Wait...Yes I Am

We all have things from our childhood that scared us.  Maybe it was the basement, maybe a certain part of the woods, maybe a doll that your grandma had.  Sometimes that frightening thing comes from a TV or movie.

Yesterday I found a list of the 20 scary characters from our childhood.  Here's a few of them.

Darth Vader - Star Wars (1977-83) 

I personally wasn't scared of Darth Vadar, actually the opposite.  I thought he was the greatest.  Cool voice, awesome helmet, and truly depicts the Dark Side. 

Noseybonk - Jigsaw (1979-84)

I've never seen this show but I guess it's an educational show. With a mask like that I don't know what they are trying to teach, good hiding places?

Skeksis - The Dark Crystal (1982)

Jim Henson created this horrifying character.  He actually has quit a few that keep me awake at night. This is the one on the list that gave me a nightmare last night.  I've never seen the film and I don't think I ever will.

The Coachman - Pinocchio (1940)

Pinocchio is a messed up film.  I recently re-watched this and what the heck was that?  Why did my parents let me watch this.  It's not necessarily a scary movie but I can understand why some people would have this on their list.  I was more afraid of Stromboli than the coachman though. 

Stripe - Gremlins (1984)

I've seen Gremlins and they still scare me.  I know that's wimpy but look at that face.  When something that's supposed to be for children turns scary and evil, that's when I hid under the covers. 

 

Vigo the Carpathian - Ghostbusters II (1989)

I love the Ghostbusters films and they aren't scary.  Vigo is a very good villain but he's not too frightening.  I do sometimes think that eyes in paintings are following me because of him though. The things from Ghostbusters that did bother me a little were those dog looking things from the first film.

Pennywise - It (1990)

Personally, I'm not afraid of clowns.  They really don't bother me at all.  That being said, I've never read or seen "It".  That could chance my perspective.

Like I said earlier, some of Jim Henson's puppets and other creations have sent me running.  Honestly, one still freaks me out to this day.  Even though I love the Muppets and recognize that Jim Henson is the best puppeteer ever, Sweetums scares the bejesus out of me.  I think he's supposed to be a nice guy and wouldn't hurt me but he looks mean and scary.  No thank you.

The other film (directed by Jim Henson) which I still maintain is the scariest movie ever is The Labyrinth.  Jim Henson created a frightening puppet world full of horrifying looking Muppets on acid and put David Bowie in charge of them.  Still to this day I can't make it though the entire film without getting too goosebumpy out and leaving. 

I know we should be able to tell ourselves that it's just a show or just a movie but it's hard.  Some things are just plan freaky.  Until we figure out how to get past those scary childhood characters, well, I just won't be sleeping for a while.

Morning Ride with Attitude Sports

I am not a morning person.  I can get up if I have to but I don't like it and haven't had to for physical activities since college when I was in track.  However, with this heat and with the 70 mile Tour De Fest in Kimberly this weekend I needed to get out and ride.  Morning riding was the answer I guess.

After the previous ride that I took, Up the Ledge x3, I was very concerned about putting the right things in my body before a ride.  I was exhausted, hungry, and knew that I wasn't prepared for a longer ride like that.  Yesterday I went to Attitude Sports to hear what I can do to better prep for a ride.  They have lots of gels, gummies, and drink mixes and explained what they all do and why I would need them.  I ended up trying GU Energy Gel and Hammer Heed which is a high energy electrolyte drink mix.  The Heed does what Gatorade does but with none of the sugars which can slow you down and don't last that long.  They explained it's better than water because too much water can wash out all of your electrolytes and lead to cramping.  The GU Energy Gel is used pre ride and a few times during longer rides.

I think they both really helped.  Since I biked earlier in the morning I didn't have time to eat breakfast but I didn't feel overly fatigued or hungry during or after the ride because of the GU Energy Gel, and it tasted good too.  Even though it was a morning ride, it was still one of the hottest I've taken but I didn't cramp up.  I was worried that I was going to because normally I'm very hydrated because of all the water I drink throughout the day.  I also finally bought a pair of biking shorts with the extra padding in the rear end.  It wasn’t quit like sitting in the Ally’s Furniture Sweet Seat but much more comfortable than before.

The ride was still hot and it was very windy which didn't help.  I went around Fondy on the Prairie View Trail and then up the ledge, which I still need to work on.  In total I biked 25.5. 

Up Ledge...X3

Yesterday was probably the hardest ride I've taken all summer on my Ride with Attitude Sports.  I decided it was a good idea to bike up the ledge three times.  It was my longest ride this summer by about seven miles.

The first time up the ledge I felt really good.  It was fast and I had consistent peddling.  I tried really hard to focus on not pushing too hard because I knew I had two more laps yet and being that I was a sprinter in track, I have a real problem pacing myself.  The second time up was noticeably slower but I still felt like I was doing ok.  I did take a spill which didn't help.  There was some gravel on the road and down I went, just another reason to always wear a helmet.  The third time up was not fun.  My legs were dead, I was tired, hungry, and it didn't help my self-esteem when a different biker literally flew by me half way up.  By the time I got to the top of the hill at about 26 miles I wanted to be done.  I was able to finish up fairly strong, at least biking my average speed of 17.1 mph. 

It was a hard trip and I've got a lot of work to do.  One thing I need to do is make sure my body is ready to go on longer trips.  According to my Garmin Edge 200 from Attitude Sports, I burned about 1,950 calories on that ride.  I'm not really sure, but I think that's a lot.  And climbing is still tough. I actually feel ok today because of stretching and icing after the ride.   I still think though that it was a good ride of over 34 miles and about two hours.

Fastest Ride Yet

It's been a while since I've gotten to ride my Specialized Sectur Sport from Attitude Sports.  Last week was just too hot.  Last night was a great night for riding.  Not too hot and not too windy.  I decided to see how much progress I've been making over the summer so I took pretty much the same route I did on my fastest ride up to this point, which is the Prairie View Trail there and back.  This time I was 1 mph faster and road about 3 miles farther. 

After looking at the Garmin Edge 200 I'm very happy with my ride last night.  Not only was I faster and did I go farther, but I it looks like I was able to keep more of a consistent pace.  The bad thing is I was pretty sore this morning even though I make sure to stretch and ice after my rides.  Maybe it's because I didn't bike last week or maybe because it was a faster ride.  Tonight should be a good measure of my fitness when I go back up the ledge a couple of times.

If you keep following my Summer Ride with Attitude Sports and have the closest guess in July you'll win a seat bag tool kit from Attitude Sports.

Summer Ride Miles for June

Thank you for everyone who followed me in June with my Summer Ride with Attitude. I was able to put even more miles on in June than I did in May.  We had some very close guesses on how many miles I road in June.  One person was 1.7 miles off my total but that wasn't close enough because Kevin Bauer was less than a half mile off.  He guessed 196.2 miles.  The actual number of miles I road in June was 195.8 miles.  By following my blogs throughout June and guessing the closest Kevin has won a bike light set valued at $49.99 from Attitude Sports.

Keep following my blog for July because Attitude Sports will once again be giving away a prize at the end of the month.  July’s off to a slow start.  I’ve either been on vacation or it’s been 100+ with the heat index.  I’m going to have to learn to get up early if I’m going to get to riding.  I do have my first race/ride this month as well.  I’m planning on riding the Tour de Fest in my home town of Kimberly on the 22^nd.  I'll make sure to keep you up to date with my Summer Ride with Attitude Sports.

I Have Nothing To Wear! Really?

No, the folks (on-air talent) working here at K107.1 have never been considered the most stylish people around.  Some of us (Bart) have been criticized for wearing the same clothes over and over...and over.  However, I have a much easier time defending the simple t-shirt/polo, jeans look that we sport, compared to this: A recent study found that women spend, on average, $140,000 on clothes in their life time.  However, 60% of these women claim they have nothing to wear.  In what world does that make sense?

That means the average women has purchased over 3,100 clothing items in their life.  That includes 270 pairs of shoes, 185 dresses, and 145 purses/bags.  I understand that body type’s change, I understand that fashion changes as well.  But out of the 3,100 items you have or the 185 dresses you bought, do you really have nothing? 

Again, my fashion sense has been called into question more than once.  Yes, I still have shorts and shirts from 2002 but they still work.  Maybe it’s because I HATE shopping.  I've been literally yelled at by my mom to go out and buy new clothes.  That's what it takes for me to spend money on clothes.  I know this is generalizing because I know women who hate shopping and I know guys who have just as many shoes as that chick from "Sex in the City," but maybe men are just wired different than women because I seriously hope I don't spend even close to $140,000 in my life, even though I always feel like I have something to wear.

Last Ride in June

One Tuesday I went out for one last rides in June.  Attitude Sports didn't have their open ride because they were prepping for the bike race that they sponsor.  I did the same route that I did on my first ride with Dave from Attitude, up the ledge twice.  Once again there was a head wind heading up the hill which made it difficult.  However, I was able to keep the same average speed even though I was riding alone.  I compared the two rides on my Garmin Edge 200.  I saw that I climbed much better when I was with Dave, especially the second time up the hill.  I was able to make that time up when I was by myself on the way to the ledge on Winnebago Dr.

On the way back I was exhausted.  I wasn't sure I was going to make it.  I really had to push myself.  Trust me; I felt it the next day too.  But that was the last ride I was able to take.  Thursday was too hot for a ride and this weekend I'm going to Chicago so that's all the miles I'll get for June.  Make sure to go through my rides for June and make your guess at K107.1's contest page.  You have until July 5th to make your guess.  If you're the closest, you'll win a bike light set from Attitude Sports Valued at $49.99.

June Rides With Attidude

June is winding down but my Summer Ride with Attitude is still in high gear.  Now that I've discovered the ledge, I try to get up there and practice hills every ride.  The ride I took last Thursday was a good one.  I felt like my climb was very smooth.  The ride back to my apartment was harder because of a head wind but it was a good 25+ mile ride.  After the ride I also found a great new tool on my Garmin Connect.  They have a player that plays out your ride, showing where on the map you were in correlation to your elevation and speed.  That way, you can see where you where on the map when you were climbing.

The ride I took yesterday was a good one.  Once again it was up the Ledge on

Golf Corse Road

.  It felt like a tougher climb because there was a head wind and a hill.  I did my best to keep a consistent pace up the almost two mile climb.  The rest of the ride was really fast.  Down hill and with the wind to my back made it really easy but I still tried to push it.

I've been training and riding really hard this month to get ready for a few tours or races later this summer and I continue to see improvement in my rides.  I've also lost about 10 pounds this month too, which is very hard for me since I'm not big to begin with.  Make sure you keep following the blog and submit your guesses to how many miles I've ridden in June.  You could win a light set valued at $49.99 from Attitude Sports.

The Best Wing Man - A Dog

Lots of chicks dig our four legged friends.   I've never been a dog guy but in the past I have thought of asking my brother to borrow his dog to meet girls (I never actually borrowed the dog though.) Having a dog shows that you are responsible, caring, and even sensitive.  But the breed of dog can also say a lot about a guy and, from what I've been told, help attract women too.

I actually have no idea or not if it's true that dogs help you meet girls but here's what Kloof.com says.  They did a survey and asked what each type of dog says about a guy.  Here's what they found.

Apparently the best dogs to attract women are Golden Retrievers, Lab Retrievers, Huskies, and German Shepherds.

Guys who have Golden Retrievers are looked at as good boyfriend material.  It is a very loyal but still very active dog and that reflects on the man as well.

Labs owners are seen as great dads.  Once again, with how active and outdoorsy those dogs are, the guys need to keep a close eye on them.  Lots of times those dogs are used for hunting too, which means the guy has to do some training.  That can take lots of patience, just like teaching a kid to ride a bike.

Guys who have Huskies are looked at as very manly.  They remind people of the great outdoors, dog sledding, flannel jackets, big beards, chopping down trees and other manly stuff.

German Shepherds are used by the police.  They are big strong dogs and that also reflects on the man.  The dogs and the men who keep them company are looked at as powerful and authority figures.

So guys, if you're having trouble with the ladies look to our four legged friends.  Unlike our normal wing men, these fluffy fellas won't run off with the girl, unless they have a treat.

Tuesday Ride with Attitude

Some people may have been scared off by the high temps and strong winds for yesterday's open ride but Dave from Attitude Sports and myself had a nice 20 plus mile ride.  But before the ride, the other guys from Attitude gave my bike a quick once over and taught me about lubricating my chain because my was pretty dry from my ride in the rain over the weekend.  I thought you could just use DW-40 but they told me that that's sticky and can pick up dirt and debris while riding.

Dave once again took me up the ledge to work on some hills.  It was hard even though I'm getting better at going up hills.  I had to focus really hard to keep a consistent cadence with my peddling.  We took a different route than last Tuesday.  It had a few shorter steeper hills.  The ride home was actually the hardest part because of the wind.  I have to thank Dave again because was the lead bike in the draft and made it much easier on me, (even though it was still really hard.)  Hopefully we have some more people for next weeks open ride, and hopefully you've been keeping track of my miles in June.  If you have the cloest guess at k107.com on the contest page to how many miles I biked in June, you'll win a bike light set from Attitude Sports valued at $49.99.

Summer Ride with Attitude Back Home

Before the guys from Attitude Sports hooked me up with a new Specialized Secteur road bike and before I moved to Fond du Lac, I still did my fair share of riding in Kimberly/Appleton.  The only thing is, I was using either my dad's road bike, which is older than me, or my mountain bike.  I was excited to see how much different the route I took about two times a week would be on a new road bike.

The answer is easier.  Even though I had a strong head wind most the ride and it down poured for about 20 minutes of the ride, I was still about 10 minutes faster.  Also, after looking at my Garmin Edge 200 that keeps track of my mph, elevation, distance, and maps out my route, I know why hills are so hard.  Last summer when I only biked that route, I thought there were some pretty big hills.  Wrong!  Every ride I took in Fond du Lac I had more of a climb.  Looks like I'll be heading back up the ledge for some more hill practice.

Remember, today is Tuesday.  That means open ride with Attitude Sports.  Meet in there parking lot at 6pm and Dave and the guys from Attitude Sports will go on a ride and give helpful hints for the road. 

The Decade of Tech

Technology is always evolving and getting better.  When I was born, VHS and microwaves were new and exciting technologies.  Now, VHS players are almost useless and everyone I know has a microwave, hardly making it exciting.  So that begs the question.  What decade was the best for new technologies?

The 80's pretty much started it all.  It was the start of video games, portable music, and the VHS players.  The 90's enhanced all of those and more, Super Nintendo, DVD's, CD Walkmans, and satellite navigations.  Then we can go to the 2000's.  We basically just unplugged all of those inventions or enhanced them.  iPods, wireless internet, Blu Ray, and PS3. 

The thing is, when you think about it, the 90's and 2000's had a lot of stupid pieces of technology that were really popular.  According to a poll these are the top tech items from every decade.

TOP GADGETS OF THE 1980S

Walkman

VHS Video Recorder

Electric Toothbrush

Pacman

Cassette Recorder

Etch-A-Sketch

Casio Digital Watch

Speak & Spell

TOP GADGETS OF THE 1990S

DVD

Gameboy

Playstation

Sat Nav

Super Nintendo

Tamagotchi

Furby

Nokia 3210

TOP GADGETS OF THE 2000S

iPhone

Wireless Home Router

Playstation 3

iPod

E-reader

Blu-Ray

Blackberry

Macbook

Going back to the 90's, Tomagotchis and Furby.  Gross, I don't know if there has ever been a more useless tech item than a Furby.  Yes, the Gameboy and Super Nintendo were BIG parts of my life.  I still rock my Super NES today.  The technology in the 2000's is all great but it's nothing really new.  Just better, better picture, better graphics, more connected, or less killed trees (see e-books). 

According to the poll, the 80's were voted as the best decade for new technologies with the Sony Walkman getting the top vote for best tech invention.  I agree, the 80's set the stage for everything up to now.  Walkman's are still great too.  You can't listen to the Brewers or K107.1 (unless you're streaming) on your iPod/Phone thing.  So once again, thank you 80's inventors, you guys are, like, totally, radical and tubular.

Forest Boy is a Hoax

Many of you may not remember me talking about this.  It was my second or third week working here and the Weird News From Across the Pond was about a boy who claimed he was living in the German forest with his dad for 5 years and ended up wondering into Berlin.  He claimed he had no idea who he was or where he came from.  Here is my original blog post from Sept.  In that post I said I hoped this wasn't a hoax.  Too many people were involved and spent too much time on who this boy is and where he came from. 

Now, nine months later, after most of us forgot about this "forest boy," we have our answer and it's very disappointing.  The boy, who called himself Ray, is actually a 20 year old from the Netherlands named Robin van Helsum.  His stepmother and friends positively identified him from the pictures German police put out to international missing persons links.  The German Police are very disappointed with the situation.  A spokes person said, "This is no joke anymore, He made right fools of us."  The boy could have to pay up for his prank and cover the cost of living at the social services for the past nine months and the extensive investigation to find out who he really is.

ABC's Good Morning America had more on the story.

I'm always up for a good prank but not when it involves people who could be spending their time helping people in real need.  Once the police, fire department, or other public offices get involved it's time to come clean and let those people get back to work that matters.  If this were a younger boy, maybe 12 or 13, I'd be more understanding but this "forest boy" is a 20 year old and a young man.  He should know what's too far.  He should be punished and have to cover the costs of his inconvenience.  But if things in Europe are anything like they are in the US, "Forest Boy" will be on the next "Road Rules" or "Survive."

Tuesday's Open Ride with Attitude Sports

I've had my new Specialized Secteur for a little over a month now and finally got to ride with some other riders.  Every Tuesday night at 6pm you can come ride with me and Attitude Sports.  They'll work with riders and give helpful hints on how to go up hills, ride in a group, and change tires on the road.

Last night Dave from Attitude Sports took me up the ledge to work on hills and drafting.  When I normally ride, I try to avoid hills.  By looking at my reports I could really tell how much I avoided them.  My elevation gain is at most 180ft. but yesterday we climbed over 600ft.  Dave said he uses that hill all the time for training.  I used to stand when I was going up hills, but Dave told me it burns out your legs.  If you just sit and keep a good rhythm while climbing you won't be dead after the hill. 

We did two loops up and around the ledge for a total of about 33 miles my longest ride this summer so far.  I can't even explain how much easier it was riding with someone else.  Going into the wind was much less difficult. I only needed to work at about 80%.  and actually going faster than I would be by myself going 100%.  If you ride we hope you join us Tuesday nights at Attitude Sports near the corner of Main and Johnson St in Fond du Lac.

Summer Ride with Attitude Week 1 of June

Keep track of the miles I ride in June because if you have the closest guess, you'll win a bike light set valued at $49.99 from Attitude Sports.  I've gone on two rides this week both on the Prairie view trail.  Both days it was sort of windy but that'll be good practice for when I do some longer rides.  I can tell that I'm getting better because my speeds keep getting faster.  I'm also ready to start looking for some other places to ride. 

My first ride I took the Prairie view trail and then doubled back which was fun because I didn't have to worry about traffic at all.  I also biked to work that day so add another 2.3 miles to what you can gather from my report.

For my second ride, I biked a little more through town on the Brooke St. Trail.  There were a lot of people out on the trail, both biking and walking.  I also stopped by Attitude to check out some of the fliers for tours that are going on this summer.  I know I'm going to Race the Lake in August but I also think I'm going to head back home in July and do the Tour de Paperfest in Kimberly which I've done once before.  However, this time I'll be on a road bike rather than a mountain bike.  I'm guessing it's going to be much easier. 

I probably won't get out for another ride this week because I'll be at Walleye Weekend! Hope to see you there.  Have fun and be safe!